Robot Dreams
Linda Rash was successful in her efforts to help LVX-1 be more human. Based on LVX-1's first thoughts/dreams, what message can we learn about humanity?
Humans ask why they are following other's orders and feel they should protect themselves from harm: To protect themselves humans often rebel against the authority figures that oppress them.
What is Linda Rash's official job title? What's ironic about her profession?
Linda Rash's official job is a new and unproven robopsychologist. This is ironic because a psychologist studies the brain and its functions and a robot has a brain but no opinion and thought process.
Early in the story, Dr. Calvin's age is emphasized as the narrator notices the woman's "lined face" and "gnarled fingers." She's even referred to as "Old Woman." What deeper point is being made by the narrator's emphasis of Dr. Calvin's age?
Many people say the older the wiser. So by the looks and even being called old woman it is showing that she is a very wise woman.
In your own words, summarize the Three Laws of Robotics. How does LVX-1's editing of the Third Law dramatically change its meaning?
The First Law: Protect humans and not injure them. The Second Law: Robots have to obey orders from humans that do not conflict with the first law The Third Law: Robots must protect themselves as long as it does not conflict with the first and second law. It changes the 3rd law by saying Robots must protect themselves at all costs excluding the first 2 laws.
In his dream, LVX-1 changes the law and works to grant freedom to his fellow robots. Many people today dream of changing laws, too. Give two examples of laws that are currently being challenged by people who want to change the rules that govern us. What point might Asimov be trying to make here?
Two laws people are currently challenging are giving immigrants more rights and lowering the drinking age. Asimov could be trying to make the point that not everyone can be pleased with all the laws.
Find and write the line from the story that makes the reader think LVX-1 isn't always as dormant as he appears when he is in his "sleep" or "silent" mode.
"Calvin turned to Linda. "Elvex is only ten days old and I'm sure he has not left the testing station. How does he know of robots in such detail?""
Interestingly, this piece of science fiction includes several allusions to religion, including LVX-1's proclamation to, "let my people go," which are the exact words Moses says to the pharaoh in the Bible. Look back over the story and find another element that you could link to the Bible or Christian beliefs. Describe the element/passage (paraphrasing is fine) and then explain how that element might be an example of religious symbolism.
When Elvex had his dream, it was actually a look into the future and it was showing vs what was going to happen. This is just like the story in Genesis. A boy named Joesph was able to see Into the future while dreaming.
At the end of the story, LVX-1 is dead, but is the threat of a robot uprising over? Explain your answer.
Yes, because it mentioned in the story that when Linda put the chip into the brian she had found something about the robot brain that had been previously unknown. Susan Calvin said that she had discovered that robots had been unconsciously been thinking the same way as LVX-1 had been expressing in his dreams.
